Suction cleaner



Nov. 30, 1943. D. G. SMELLIE 2,335,450

SUCTION CLEANER Filed June 6, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Donald 6.8mellie WSMM;

ATTORNEY Nov. 30, 1943. D. G. SMELLIE SUCTION CLEANER Filed June 6, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR onald G. Jmelll'e ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 30, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SUCTION CIEANEB,

Donald G. Smellle, Canton, Ohio, acsignor to The Hoover Company, poration of Ohio North Canton, Ohi o1a' cor- This invention relates to improvements in-suction cleaners and more particularly to a suction cleaner having a dust mop cleaning dev ce.

'It is an object of the invention to provide a new and improved suction cleaner. Another ob-v iect is to provide a dust mop cleaning device which forms part of the suction cleaner. A further object is to provide a mop cleaner in a suction cleaner without obstructing the surface cleaning nozzle of the cleaner. Another object is to provide a suction cleaner embodying valve means for converting the suction cleaner from normal surface cleaning to a machine for removing dust from a mop head. A further object is to provide a suction cleaner having a mop receiving receptacle which is collapsible when not in use to conform substantially to the contour of the cleaner body. Another object is to provide a mop cleaning device which is attachable to tank type cleaners. Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the specification and drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevational view partly in section of an embodiment of the invention showing the mop cleaner receptacle in collapsed position;

Figure 2 is a plan view showing the mop cleaner receptacle open for receiving a mop head; Figure 3 is a front view of the embodiment shown in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a section along the line 44 of I Figure 2, and

Figure 5 is a perspective view showing a mop head being placed in the mop cleaning chamber.

The embodiment of the invention herein disclosed comprises a suction cleaner having a hollow casing or body l0 .including a central substantially cylindrical casing section II and front and rear caps or cover i2 and It. The front cap I2 is removably secured to the central casing section II by a pair of clips i 4 and is provided with a threaded opening II which communicates with a chamber it formed between the cover l2 and the extreme end of the central casing section H.v Adapted to be threaded into the opening it is an unshown hose provided with a surface cleaning nozzle in the manner well known in the art. The end cap i3 is removably secured to the central casing section II by a pair oi clips I! and is provided with an outlet opening II. A pair of skids iii are attached to the central casing section II and end cap I3 to support the cleaner on the floor and to permit movement of the cleaner by pulling on the unshown hose.

The interior of the central casing section II adjacent the front cap I2 is provided with a dirt filtering bag 20. An unshown fan and motor are arranged between the end cap l3 and the bag 20. Operation of the motor and fan creates suction which draws the dirt-laden air from the surface nozzle through the inlet opening I! and chamber ll into the bag and clean air is discharged through the outlet opening l8.

Supported on the central casing section II is a mop cleaning device comprising a receptacle 2| having side and end walls 22 and 28 respectively. extending vertically upwardly above the top of the central casing section II. The bottom of the receptacle II is formed by a pair of spaced members 24 and 25 which are arcuate in contour to coniorm to the shape of the central casing section if and are secured to the side and end walls 22 and 23. The spaced members 24 and 25 form a passageway 21 which is connected to the suction system of the cleaner by means of a passageway 28 and opening 29 in the cap l2. The member 24 forms the bottom wall of the mop receptacle and due to its convex configuration forms depressed areas 30 extending longitudinally along the side wall 22 without increasing the height oi. the cleaner. A plurality of openings 3| are provided in the bottom wall 24 in the depressed areas ill and communicate with the suction passageway 21. Along the upper surface of the bottom wall 24 are transversely extending spaced ribs ll forming a rough surface along which a mop head may be moved to dislodge dirt. A plurality of channels 34 are formed between the spaced ribs 33 and operate to direct the dirt removed from the mop head to the openings 3i.

The upper part of the mop receptacle comprises collapsible side walls 35 and 36 pivotally mounted on the lower side walls 22, while the'end walls 31, 31 are of flexible material secured to the lower end walls 23 and the upper side walls 35 and 36. A strut 38 is pivoted at each end of the side wall 35 and spans the receptacle opening for removable engagement in openings 39 in the side wall 38, to thereby support the side walls in extended position, thus forming an enlarged mop chamber 5!. A latch 40 is pivotally supported on one edge or the side wall and is removably inserted in a recess 4| in one of the ribs 33 to lock the side walls 35 and 36 in collapsed position. A handle 43 is mounted on the side wall 35 and is offset with respect thereto so as to be positioned along the longitudinal center line or the cleaner when the mop receptacle is collapsed, whereby the suction cleaner is well ,ceptacleiscolla balaneedandcanbeeasilycarriedfromplace to place.

Pivotally mounted in the front wall of the cap I! isa valve member 44 having a valve ll toclose and open the port It, and is further provided with a valve 4| to control the inlet opening ll inthe cap it. A lever 41 i arranged extericriy of the end cap I! and is operable to manipulate the valve'member I for selectively controlling the openings I! and It If desired, the lever 41 can be connected to the collapsible walls of the map receptacle whereby upon raising the side walls II and 38, the valve will uncover the opening it and close the opening II, and upon collapsing the side walls the opening II will be closed and the inlet opening I! is uncovered,

V The mop cleaning receptacle and front cap I 2 are connected together as a unit and assembled on the cleaner casing section II by means of screws I threaded through the lower side walls 22 into the cleaner casing section II, and by means of the clips II which secure the front cap I! in position at the inlet to the casing section II. The mop cleaning receptacle can be attached to the conventional tank type cleaner by removing its front cap and attaching the receptacle when extended project upwardly of said cleaner bodytodeiineanopeningforreceivingamop head in said receptacle, said walls when collapsed conforming substantially to the contour of said cleaner body, a handle mounted on said collapsible walla, means forlocking said handle to the cleaner body for carrying the cleaner, and

means connecting said receptacle to said suction means for removing dirt discharged from the mop headinto said receptacle.

2. A suction cleaner, comprising a cleaner 4 body having an inlet for dirt-laden air during normal cleaning, suction-creating means, and a passageway between said inlet and suction creating means, a mop receptacle mounted on said body without, obstructing said inlet. said mop re.

ceptacle having a bottom wall and pivoted side walls, means forming part of said side walls to maintain said side walls in projected position to receive a mop to be cleaned and shiftable for collapsing said-side walls to close said receptacle.

conduit means connecting the interior of said 2i and front cap I! as aunit to the casing sec-' tion H.

In operation, if it is desired to employ the suction cleaner for surface cleaning, the lever 41 is manipulated to shift the valve member 44 mop receptacle with said passageway, and valve means for closing said inlet and connecting said conduit means to said passageway for conveying the dirt removed from the mop in said receptacle to said suction creating means.

into full line position in Figure 3 to thereby close the opening 2! and uncover the inlet opening II.

Rotation of the fan and movement of the nozzleover the surface being cleaned causes the dirtladen air to be drawn in through the surface nosas means, a mop recepta ale and hose into the dust bag 20 which removes the dirt while permitting clean air-to be dis-- charged through the outlet ll. During this cleaning operation. the dust receptacle may be collapsedas in Figure 1, or maintained in operative position as shown in Figure 5.

As the operator proceeds with the cleaning, it is usually customary to employ a dry dust mop II to remove the dust on the exposed floor surfaces. When it is desired to remove the dirt from the dust mop 50 the latch" is unlocked and the side walls I! and 38 pivoted upwardly andthenthefreeendsofthestrutsltilareinsertedintheopeningsttinthesidewallllto form the enlarged mop chamber Ii. The lever 41 is shifted to move the valve member ll from the full line pomtion'in Figure 3 to the dotted line position to clom the inlet opening I cover the opening 29, whereby the odge embedded dirt, is then removed from the chamber II by the air stream passing from the chamber ll through the opening 3i, passageways II and 28 and chamber it into the dust bag 20. When it is desired to store the cleaner, the mop repeed by pivoting the struts II. 8. to positilm along the side walls 3!, and the flexible end walls 31, 31 are folded inwardly of the Iclaim:

i. A suction cleaner comprising an elongated 3. A-suction cleaner, comprising a cleaner body having an inlet for dirt-laden air during normal cleaning, suction creating means, and a passageway between said inlet and suction-creating cle mounted on said body without obstructing said inlet, said mop receptacle having spaced bottom walls defining a conduit therebetween and pivoted side walls, said side walls being movable to projected position to receive a mop to be cleaned and collapsible to losuctioncreating receptacleremo close said receptacle, said conduit connecting the interior of said mop receptacle with said passageway, and valve means for closing said inlet and connecting said conduit to said eway for conveying the dirt removed from the mop in said receptacle to said suction creatingmeans.

4. An accessory for a suction cleaner having suction creating means, an inlet for dirt-laden air removed from a surface during normal cleaning and a passageway connecting the inlet to the suction creating means, and comprising a mop receptacle removably mounted on said cleaner without obstructing said inlet, said mop receptacle having a bottom wall and pivoted side walls, means forming part of said side walls to maintain said side walls in projected position to receive a mop to be cleaned, and shiftable for collapsing said side walls over said bottom wall to cover the latter, conduit means connecting the interior of said mop receptacle with said pasand valve means for closing said inlet and connecting said conduit means to said pasfor conveying the dirt removed from the mop in said receptacle to said-suction creating means.

5. An accessory for a suction cleaner having suction creating means, an inlet for dirt-laden air removed from a surface during normal clean ing and a'passageway connecting the inlet to the means, and comprising a mop vably mounted on the cleaner ting said inlet, said mop receptacle bottom walls defining a conduit and pivoted side walls, said side ovable to projected position with rewithout obstruc havin spa ed therebetween walls being m spect to said bottom walls to receive a mop to be cleaned and collapsible to cover said bottom walls, said conduit connecting the interior of said mop receptacle with said passageway, and valve means for closing said inlet and connecting said conduit to said passageway for conveying the dirt removed from the mop in said receptacle to said suction creating means.

6. An accessory for a suction cleaner having a body and suction creating means, and comprising a mop receptacle and end cap removably mounted on the cleaner body, said receptacle be ing attached atop the cleaner body and said end means to remove from said receptacle the dirt removed from the mop.

DONALD G. SMELIIE. 

